


A consort's duty

by Nary



Category: Books of the Raksura - Martha Wells
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Friendships, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Late Night Conversations, Missing Scene, Sleeping Together, Tea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-07-19 03:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7342189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/pseuds/Nary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A missing scene from the night Shade spent at the Court of Indigo Cloud.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A consort's duty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [darkcyan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkcyan/gifts).



As the only consort available to represent Indigo Cloud to their guests, Ember knew he had to host Shade in his bower. To leave him alone for the night would be unspeakably rude - as well as imprudent. Even though he had managed to overcome the worst of his fear about the half-Fell consort, and even though Shade seemed to be trusted completely by the Raksura from Opal Night, it still felt a little bit dangerous to invite him into the inner chamber. Ember wished Moon or Stone was there to tell him he was being foolish, but neither of them was, so he had to do it himself.

"It looks very comfortable," Shade said politely, gazing around. "Lots of room."

Ember realized he should be saying something, not just standing there. "It feels quite empty to me," he said. "It will still be a while before the consort fledglings are grown enough to move in here, so for now it's just me and Moon - and Stone, when he decides to stay here." He led the way over to the hearth, where there were cushions and furs to sit on as they warmed up.

Shade sat next to him, an arm's span away. From this close, Ember could smell the faint Fell undertone to his pale skin - not as strong as if he'd been a real Fell ruler, of course, but just a little hint, enough to be unsettling. Stone could smell it much more strongly, but then the line-grandfather's senses were far sharper than his. He made a point of discreetly lighting some incense as he was putting the water on for tea, and that helped to blot out the scent somewhat.

"So," Shade said once Ember was settled again, "you and Moon must spend a lot of time together, being the only adult consorts - well, apart from Stone."

Ember felt a flush of embarrassment spread over his face. He should have been the one opening the conversation, guiding it, not putting his guest in the position of having to make the first move. "Yes," he said with a smile, trying to recover from the misstep. "Moon was... very welcoming to me when I first arrived here."

"Welcoming? That doesn't sound very much like Moon," Shade said with a wry smile in return.

Ember bristled slightly - he had become part of Indigo Cloud, and Moon was First Consort, and he didn't like a stranger insulting him, even if that stranger was his half-clutch-brother, and even if it was true. "It was very difficult to leave my birth court," he said instead, diplomatically. "Moon has helped me to find my place here."

Shade nodded. "I haven't visited any other courts before this - it's interesting to see how different and unusual they can be." 

Ember decided not to take that as an insult. "I think every court does things a little differently," he agreed. For instance, some courts decided to take in half-Fell children and raise them alongside their other fledglings. Ember wondered for the first time how difficult that might have been for Shade and Lithe - whether they had always known they were different, and, more significantly, why they were different. 

Instead of asking that, though, he poured the tea and offered Shade a cup. The other consort accepted it gracefully, seeming more at ease now that he had something to do with his hands. Whatever his background might be, he'd received a good upbringing and had very respectable manners, Ember had to admit. It was a shame he was unlikely to have a chance to use them very much - no queen would want to claim him, and Opal Night probably couldn't even send him to another court as an emissary on a diplomatic mission in case he was mistaken for Fell outright, or at least considered suspicious because of the circumstances of his birth. He was surprised they'd even brought Shade this time, but it seemed like it was important for reasons he didn't fully understand. "You said this trip was something you had to make yourself do. What did you mean?"

Shade shifted his weight, leaning over onto a pile of cushions. "Well, because of everything with the shared dreams and the augury, my... background means that I might be able to help. I couldn't stay home, even if I wanted to, if having me there might mean the difference between success and failure... life and death, or things worse than death." He glanced over at Ember, his expression shadowed and hard to read in the dim light. Ember had heard a little about Shade's time being held captive by the Fell, and tried very hard not to think about those things worse than death. 

"Malachite told us when we were small that she saved us because we were important," Shade went on, looking down at his pale hands clasped around the warm clay cup. "I thought at first it was because our father was her consort, and she wanted to hold on to whatever was left of him - and I still believe that's an important part of it. But now I think that she also wanted to... to prove something, I guess. That the Fell couldn't take everything away from her."

Ember nodded, not entirely sure where this story was going, but morbidly fascinated all the same. "Or that she could take something back from them?" 

"Yes," Shade agreed, sipping his tea. "Malachite can be very stubborn." He said it almost confidentially, and Ember had to stifle a chuckle - of course she could, she _was_ Moon's birthqueen, after all. "I don't think she knew at first how we would be different than the others - or that those differences might someday be useful," Shade continued. "And she doesn't want to... to take advantage of us. She cares for us. We're not tools, we're family. But if Lithe and I can help against the Fell, then we need to do whatever we can - even if Malachite would rather keep us sheltered and safe. We owe that to our father."

Ember could understand that, at least, even if the idea of confronting the Fell terrified him. Fighting was for queens and warriors, not consorts and mentors, but maybe none of them would have a choice. He shivered slightly, drawing one of the soft furs over his legs. "That's very brave of you," he told Shade.

Shade's skin took on a rosy flush. "It's really not," he said quietly. "I'm scared of facing them again - of what could happen if we fail."

There was really nothing Ember could say to that, since he was scared of that too. Instead he fell back on his duty as a good host. "It's late, and it sounds like you're leaving early in the morning. If you're getting tired, you can take one of the empty bowers."

"Oh... thank you," Shade said politely, but he looked a little crestfallen. "There certainly are plenty of them."

Ember remembered what it was like to come from a big court where you were surrounded by other consorts. He understood what the problem was. "Or if you'd like," he heard himself say before he could think better of it, "you can stay with me."

Shade perked up at that. "You don't mind?"

"No, I'd like the company," Ember said, and realized he meant it.

He had another moment's qualm when Shade shifted to fly up to his bower - he just looked so frightening, so big - but they both shifted back once they were settled, and Ember found it was easier to put his fears aside this time. He was coming to like Shade quite a lot, and it mattered less and less that he was different. Even his odd smell and pale skin seemed less strange and more just a part of who he was. 

They rearranged some cushions to make things comfortable and then lay down. It felt natural to curl up together, Shade's long limbs wrapped around Ember's more delicate frame. Ember could feel Shade's heartbeat, quick and nervous, and stroked his arm until he felt that rush slow down. "Good night," he whispered, and Shade gave him a shy little nip on the shoulder before they both fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at [naryrising](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/naryrising) if you want to ask questions, make requests, or chat!


End file.
